Keeping Me Alive

Summary: When Keira first arrives in Haven City, she is scared, lost, lonely and hurt. Luckily, the commander of the Krimzon Guard is more than happy to help her back on her feet. Erol/Keira, set during Jak II.

Disclaimer: I asked for the publication rights of Jak and Daxter in my letter to Santa, but I just got a pony instead. Pfft.

Author's note: Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? This chapter had been a very long time coming, and I apologize for it. I haven't had the best of years, and because of that I have not been writing much. However, I feel like this story is coming together very well in my head. I have planned out everything from this point forward, and I think I'll be able to squeeze in a large quantity of updates this year. Now, for anyone who's still reading this, please enjoy.

Chapter 3: The Fat And The Peacemaker

When I spotted the giant, neon-lit Hip Hog sign in the distance, I could not have been happier. Finally, after days of planning and searching, I had found the Hip Hog Heaven Saloon, the place where I was hoping to meet my future supplier.

It had taken me far too long to figure out who and where the best supplier in the city was. The orders for Zoomers to be built or fixed were quickly piling up, and if I didn't get some basic supplies soon, I would be out of business before I could even start.

I had begun my quest for a supplier by asking around the Stadium, which was surprisingly crowded when it wasn't the seventh day of the week. Luckily, lots of people had been very willing to help me out, as they were happy to finally see a capable mechanic at the Stadium again. While their information and opinions varied, there was one fact on which they nearly all seemed to agree: if I wanted the best supplier in Haven City, I would have to go and see Krew.

I learned Krew was a large, British man with a blind eye who owned, managed and lived above his own saloon down in the Port. He was well-connected in the city and beyond, and he was willing to sell anything to anyone as long as they were able to pay the right price.

I knew this was the man I was looking for, the man who would be able to supply me with all the Zoomer parts and tools I could possibly dream of. The problem was, I had no idea how to get to him.

I tried asking for directions, but the Port turned out to be on the other side of the city, and no one could give me a step-by-step guide to South Town. Instead, they told me to 'just check my map', but I wasn't aware I even had one.

Eventually, I figured out that the small square pass I had been given as the key to my garage and apartment had many more purposes other than granting me access to my new home. Besides a key, the little machine was also a Security Pass, a communicator, an ID and, indeed, a map.

Once I had learned this, I had little trouble deciphering the tiny device, and I soon found the map of Haven City. It was a very handy thing, even allowing me to enter my desired destination into it so it could guide me in the right direction by means of a distinct icon.

So, for the past hour or so I had been following the blue wineglass displayed on my map, carefully dividing my attention between the map and my surroundings, trying to get a feel for the city as I went. During my walk, I had also tried to find the familiar faces of Daddy, Jak and Daxter in the large crowd of Haven's citizens, but unfortunately I'd had no luck.

My lost loved ones were the other reason I had chosen to see Krew over all the other suppliers Haven City had to offer. No one knew the city better than Krew did, and from what I'd heard, I was sure he wouldn't question me or my money if I asked him to find a mute blond boy, a green-skinned elderly man and a talking orange rodent. If I wanted to find the three of them, Krew was my best shot.

Originally, I had thought of asking Erol about my family, but I had quickly dismissed the idea. For one, I didn't want him to think I was insane, asking him to look for a mute, a Sage and an ottsel; for two, I didn't think someone of his status would concern himself with search actions; and for three, I would feel very uncomfortable asking him for a favour when he had already done so much for me.

So, I had set my sights on Krew, knowing he was my best option and hoping he wouldn't ask for more money than I could offer him.

As I approached the entrance to the Saloon, I couldn't help but feel slightly nervous, but I was quick to push my anxious feelings aside. I would just have to go in there and act like I knew what I was doing, even though the only business I had ever done was trading Precursor Orbs for Power Cells or vice versa. I just hoped Krew wouldn't pick up on my ignorance.

Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I walked through the automated doors, into the Hip Hog Heaven Saloon.

It was not what I had thought it would be. I had expected a crowded space, full of Saloon customers and clients of Krew who were waiting for their supplies or information. I had anticipated having to push my way through the people, waiting for hours before I could finally talk to this fabled man named Krew.

Instead, I was greeted by the sight of a somewhat sleazy, and very empty bar. There were many booths carved into the walls, allowing customers to sit comfortably and quietly. On the other side of the Saloon, a long bar was positioned in front of a huge mirrored wall, and I could see hundreds of bottles in all shapes and sizes sitting on many shelves attached to the mirror. All in all, it would have been a nice place, if it wasn't for the disturbing boxing ring in the centre of the Saloon, and the large quantity of petrifying severed heads of strangely familiar creatures hanging from just about every inch of the walls. I shivered slightly as I met the unseeing eyes of a particularly large trophy, and I quickly made my way over to the bar, putting as much distance between myself and the thing as I possibly could.

The floor was sticky and crunchy beneath my feet, the surface littered with pieces of broken glass, dirt and spilled drinks, and I was instantly glad I had thought to buy myself a pair of boots at one of the stands at the Bazaar on my way here. Seriously, when had this place last been cleaned? No wonder there were no customers in sight.

There wasn't even someone tending to the bar. No one was here besides me and the many, many creepy heads on the walls, and I started to wonder if I had come to the right place. This couldn't be the establishment of a world-class supplier and informant, could it?

Just as I was about to check my map to see if I was indeed in the right place, a door behind the bar I hadn't noticed before swung open, and in walked one of the most intimidating men I had ever laid eyes on.

He was huge. Really, really huge. Two meters tall, broad shouldered, one-eyed and clad in shining armour which matched the creatures hanging on the wall, he towered over me imposingly, and I could nearly feel myself shrink under his glare.

But then, just as I was on the verge of wetting myself, he grinned broadly, all animosity in his face instantly gone. "What can I do you for, lil' lady?"

It took me a little while to find my voice. When I did, it sounded about an octave higher than usual. "Eh… My name is Keira Hagai. I came here to see mister Krew."

"Oh yeah, I've heard of you," the man pondered upon hearing my name. "You're Erol's new golden girl, aren't you?"

"I… guess you could put it that way," I smiled faintly, amused by the way he described my role. "And you, are you mister Krew?" I was almost certain he was. I mean, how many large men with a blind eye could there be in this saloon?

I was surprised when the man let out a booming laugh and shook his head. "I'm afraid not, lil' lady," he chuckled. "The name's Sig. I'm Krew's right hand man."

"Nice to meet you," I said politely, though I had to admit I was slightly disappointed that this man wasn't the person I was looking for.

"Same here," Sig nodded. "Look, the boss is out right now, but I'm in charge of most of his affairs while he's gone. So why don't you tell me what you came here for and I'll see if I can help you? If not, well, Krew probably won't be long. He never is."

That seemed fair enough. "Well, I've just started as a mechanic at the Stadium, and I really need some supplies to get under way," I explained to Sig.

Sig seemed surprised at this. "And you came all the way out here to find yourself a supplier?" he asked, his hairless eyebrows raised. "Most rookie mechanics stay a little closer to home at first."

"I've heard Krew is the very best," I said, trying my hardest to sound as if I knew what I was talking about. "And… I also need him to do something else for me."

"Really?" Sig was interested now. "And what's that?"

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should tell Sig about my loved ones, but I soon realised he would probably hear about it anyway if Krew decided to help me. If he wanted to search the city effectively, Krew would have to inform at least a few of his men about my family, and as Krew's right-hand man, Sig would probably be the first to receive the information. It wouldn't matter if I told him.

"I was separated from my family when I first arrived in the city," I said, suddenly finding it hard to talk without tearing up. Oh, how I missed Daddy. "I was hoping Krew would be able to…"

"… Find them," Sig finished for me when I choked on the end of my sentence.

I nodded, furiously wiping at the tears that had appeared in my eyes.

Sig smiled sympathetically at me. "Hey, if Krew's good for anything, it's sniffing people out. Trust me; he'll have his people track down your people in no time. Don't you worry 'bout a thing, lil' lady."

I offered him a shaky smile of thanks for his kind words. "So," I started, trying to steer the conversation back to a topic that wouldn't make me cry, "Do you think you can help me, or do I have to wait for Krew?"

Sig took the hint well, and did not elaborate on the topic of my family. "If you can tell me what supplies you need I can make sure you have them by tonight," he said brightly, "But as for your other issue… You'll have to speak to Krew about that. He'll need to discuss the price with you."

"Fair enough," I smiled, retrieving a piece of paper from my pocket as I spoke. Luckily I had been smart enough to make a list of all the items I would need to tend to the zoomers waiting in my garage.

We sat down in one of the booths to go over my list and the amount of money I would have to lay down for everything. Sig was very nice. He could tell I didn't have the faintest idea about the prices of the items I wanted, but instead of taking advantage of my ignorance and overcharging me, he actually gave me a pretty sizeable discount.

"Hey, got to make sure our clients come back for more," he said with a wink.

He also gave me the number for the Hip Hog's communicator, ensuring I would be able to order more parts and tools at any time without having to come all the way to the Port.

When we had settled everything concerning supplies, Sig and I switched over to small talk while I waited for Krew to get back, and the subject soon landed on my job.

"There hasn't been a decent mechanic at the Stadium in a long time," he told me earnestly. "Can't blame them, really. Independent mechanics don't get paid very well. You're allowed to set your own prices, but go above cheap and you won't have any customers left."

"Why's that?" I asked, surprised. Wouldn't the racers need someone to fix their vehicles?

"Well, most race teams have got a mechanic of their own on board. Technically it's not allowed to have a team-bound mechanic any more, but they just pass their guy off as a racer. Nobody ever checks."

Now I was even more confused. "Why aren't team-bound mechanics allowed any more?"

"Team wars," Sig said plainly. "Racing is serious business in this city, lil' lady. Everyone wants to win. Sabotage and cheating is very common. Sometimes, they even go as far as eliminating the most important members of the other teams. And everyone knows the mechanics are the glue that holds a team together. Without a good mechanic, a team won't get their Zoomers fixed. Without Zoomers, they can't race. So, some years ago, there was a real massacre going on. Mechanics were killed left and right by rival teams. It was so bad the racing season had to be cancelled. That's why the law now says that teams can't have a private mechanic any more. Of course, they nearly all still do, but at least the killing's stopped."

When Sig finished, I couldn't help but stare at him. What an awful story! Was winning a race really important enough to kill in this city?

Sig noticed my expression. "Yeah, it ain't pretty," he agreed with my silent disgust, "But it's to be expected. We're locked inside the city's walls 'cause of the Metal Heads, and racing is the only entertainment citizens can get. If you win the races, you'll become a legend, something else than just a face in the crowd. People are willing to go far for that."

I still thought it was awful. Back in Sandover, even if the boys put up the most beautiful shell they had ever found on the beach as a price for the winning racer, there was never this kind of animosity. If anyone got hurt during a race, the others wouldn't hesitate to stop dead in their tracks to help him. To think that one of the boys from the village would murder me so Jak wouldn't have his best vehicle was just too absurd.

I decided I desperately needed a change of subject, so I asked the first thing not related to racing that came to mind. "Sig, what's a Metal Head?"

The question had been in the back of my mind for a while now, ever since the Krimzon Guard who nearly arrested me had mentioned them. He'd said it was impossible that I had got in to Haven without being the devoured by a Metal Head, and apparently the city was surrounded by walls just to keep the Metal Heads out. They had to be very nasty creatures.

I could tell Sig was surprised I didn't know what Metal Heads were, but thankfully he did not ask. Instead, he said: "Take a look around, lil' lady." He gestured towards the creepy severed heads on the walls of the saloon, and I couldn't help but gasp as I glanced at the largest one of them again. Yes, those really were nasty creatures.

"There are millions of them," Sig told me darkly, "One more powerful than the next. Most of them are out in the Wasteland, but there are plenty right outside Haven's walls, just waiting for a chance to strike. If you ever leave the city, I suggest you bring a weapon."

"I'll keep that in mind," I said weakly, wondering to myself how I would ever be able to sleep again with the thoughts of murdered mechanics and Metal Heads in the back of my mind.

Sig was about to say something else, most likely something reassuring, but he was interrupted by the sound of the door behind the bar opening again.

"Looks like you're in luck, lil' lady," Sig, who was facing the bar, said cheerfully. "The boss is back."

He stood, leaving the booth to greet his boss, but I remained seated a while longer, making sure I looked at least presentable enough to make a good first impression on Krew. Thoroughly checking my clothing and nervously smoothing my stubborn hair, I assured myself I looked my best before I followed Sig's example and left the booth to greet Krew.

By the Precursors.

I couldn't help but stare at the grotesque being that was having a conversation with Sig at the bar. He was enormous, two times wider than he was tall, sitting comfortably in an advanced hover chair I would have loved to take a look at if it weren't for the thing it was seating. His green outfit was already tearing at the seams, and I could see two sad, tiny stumps which were once his legs dangling beneath his morbidly obese body, not capable of anything more than swaying as much as gravity allowed them to.

I stood frozen in place, not daring to approach the monstrosity, when I saw Sig pointing me out to him. The lump floated over to me, his single seeing eye focused on my face and his mouth twisted in a grin that showed me all his yellow teeth.

"Hello there, dear," he spoke to me, the words that left his mouth accompanied by a stench so foul it made my eyes water. "Sig says you've got some business with me, mmmmm?"

Desperately fighting my urge to get the hell away from this… man, I supposed, I somehow managed to plaster a pleasant smile on my face, knowing I would have to be polite if I wanted him to find my family for me. "Yes, that's right," I said, taking pride in the fact that I kept my voice levelled and steady.

Krew sighed, sending another waft of bad breath up my nose. "Very well. But make it quick, ey? I've had a long day."

I decided not to comment on the fact that the day was only halfway through as I followed him to the bar.

Krew was brief. He asked me to describe the people I wanted him to find, ordered Sig to write it down, gave me my fee (which was high, but still lower than I had expected), then left the bar to take a well-deserved 'beauty nap'.

After he left, Sig gave me a reassuring pat on the back. "Smooth, lil' lady."

I beamed at him.

Before I went back to my apartment, I stopped at the Bazaar again, wanting to explore it a bit more thoroughly this time. It was truly an amazing place, but it was very confusing as well. I was lucky to have my map with me.

Nevertheless, I did find a couple of nice things at several of the many stands. I ended up heading back to my new home with some delicious looking fresh groceries, which I was ecstatic about because I had lived on canned food for the past few days, and a few new outfits, as I could hardly live in my current one forever.

When I returned to my garage after a few hours at the Bazaar, I was in for a pleasant surprise. Right on the doorstep were a dozen cardboard boxes, all courtesy of the Hip Hog Heaven Saloon. It seemed Sig hadn't been kidding when he'd said my supplies would be delivered today.

Excited to see my new tools and parts, I quickly ran my purchases from the Bazaar up to my apartment before I started the gruelling task of hauling the boxes into the garage. They were all incredibly heavy, packed to the rim with metal objects, and I was having a very hard time carrying them inside.

When I lifted the fourth box, the expected happened. I failed to get a proper grip on the cardboard, and the box slipped out of my hands, landing with a loud clang on the concrete floor. Flinching at the sound, I quickly squatted down to pick it up again, fiercely hoping I hadn't permanently damaged the box's contents. Before I could pick up the box again, however, it was taken from the floor by a set of hands covered in a very familiar pair of blue and yellow gloves. I knew who was looking down at me before I even saw his face.

"Need a hand?" Erol asked smoothly, balancing the box on the palm of one hand while offering the other for me to take.

I took it, and he pulled me up with remarkable ease. "Thanks," I mumbled, a little embarrassed he had just witnessed that.

"My pleasure," he smirked. "I take it you want this box inside?"

"Yes, they're my…" I started, but Erol had already stalked past me, taking the box into my garage with him. "My new tools," I huffed to no one in particular, a bit annoyed by Erol's lack of manners.

Nevertheless, I was grateful for his help, so I picked up a box of my own and followed him inside.

With Erol there to help me, the remaining boxes were put away in less than three minutes. I immediately went over to check on the contents of the box I had dropped earlier, but luckily everything seemed to be unharmed. For good measure, I pulled out a spanner and examined it, but there wasn't even a scratch on its shiny silver surface.

"Nice," Erol commented, nodding towards the spanner. "Where did you get all this?"

Having trouble tearing my eyes away from my beautiful new trinkets, I put the spanner back inside the box and closed the lid, blocking its shiny glory from my view. "South Town," I answered once I was done. "I went to see…"

"Krew," he finished my sentence.

Baffled, I nodded. "How did you know?"

Erol smirked. "Keira, there is no supplier in his right mind who would set up shop within a mile radius from Krew's. He's the only supplier in South Town."

I was surprised to hear that. Only in the Stadium Section there were six different suppliers. "How come no one wants to run their business near Krew's?"

"Because he's the best," Erol replied simply. "No one will go to a mediocre supplier if the very best one in town is only a few blocks away."

I supposed that made sense, so I nodded. "I'm just glad he got everything here so quickly."

Erol was curious. "Do you have a lot of clients yet?"

"You wouldn't believe it," I sighed. "My first Zoomer is due in three days, and I have about a dozen lined up for next week."

"And you have all these tools and part to categorize," Erol pointed out.

I groaned. "Yeah, that too."

He chuckled. "Well, I won't keep you from your work, then. Good luck sorting all this out."

"Thanks," I replied with a sigh. "I'll need it."

After I had shown Erol out, I briefly retreated to my apartment to cook myself some dinner, which I scarfed down in record time. Once I was done, I raced back downstairs to unpack my new goodies.

Taking pen, paper and the first box, I opened it excitedly. I was not disappointed. Krew had sent me excellent stuff. Wrenches and spanners made from solid chromium-vanadium alloy steels, a high-quality welding mask, a set of car-jacks capable of lifting more than the weight of a dozen Yakows and many, many more items I hadn't even dared to dream of back in Sandover. I felt like a kid in a candy store.

I spent an hour unpacking, admiring and inventorizing all the objects I pulled from the box. By the time I was finished, I was ecstatic about the amazing quality of all my new tools. I was less ecstatic, however, when I looked at the large pile of boxes still waiting to be examined. Sighing, I stood, stretched my sore muscles, and went for a second box.

This was going to be a long night.

Man, I love Sig. Like, a lot. As in, even more than I love Erol. I had so much fun writing him. Krew too, by the way. I know he's an evil fat little lump, but I can't help but love him. It must be his British accent. Anyway, this chapter was a bit of a building chapter, establishing Keira's work environment. The last scene with Erol seems a little unnecessary, but trust me, it's important (and I just can't have a chapter without Erol in it. Imagine the horror!). Next chapter will be a building chapter too, but after that things will get a bit more interesting... and romantic. Also, if anyone happens to be interested, I am currently in search of a Beta Reader for this story. Please PM me if you want to take this grueling task upon you. For now, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I you have the time, please leave a review so I can improve my writing. Until next time!